


Before the Storm

by SolamenteCelia



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: F/F, I'm doing my best, Minor Character Death, Violence, Warrior Cat Ocs, Yikes, f/f - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-03-24 04:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13803660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolamenteCelia/pseuds/SolamenteCelia
Summary: Maybe it would behoove her to at least try to conceal herself but that would mean admitting her guilt. She knew what she was doing was wrong from a “traditional” standpoint, but from an emotional standpoint? She knew she deserved at least a shred of happiness and if she couldn’t find it within her own clan then she’d look elsewhere. It was simple really.(NOTE: IM NOT FINISHING THIS I LOST MOTIVATION SORRY LOL)(NOTE 2: lol guess I'm actually going to try and finish this)





	1. Chapter 1

A warm evening breeze rolled across the Thunderclan territory. It was a hazy summer evening and Stormheart lazily dug their claws into the cool earth beneath them. Despite the calm evening Stormheart was impatiently awaiting nightfall. The fiery orange sky had faded in a deep purple and most of her clanmates had either gone to bed or would soon be back from the evening patrol. She waited anxiously, clawing at the dirt beneath her paws as the evening patrol returned and, even though it felt like an eternity, finally dispersed.

It wouldn’t be long now. 

As the sun slipped behind the trees, Stormheart silently padded out of the camp and headed towards the Windclan border. After reaching the border she sat there, at the edge of the forest, waiting. Maybe it would behoove her to at least try to conceal herself but that would mean admitting her guilt. She knew what she was doing was wrong from a “traditional” standpoint, but from an emotional standpoint? She knew she deserved at least a shred of happiness and if she couldn’t find it within her own clan then she’d look elsewhere. It was simple really. 

It wouldn't be long now.

The cool night air felt nice against her pelt after the sweltering heat of the day. A breeze ruffled her grey fur as her yellow eyes searched the moor. Her tail swished back and forth as she studied the familiar scene. How many times had she been here? How many nights? She couldn't remember. Not that she cared much, rules were meant to broken after all. Besides the warrior code was outdated, at least, that’s the idea that she entertained. Her mother would be furious, what would the clan think! The leader's daughter having a forbidden romance with a Windclan warrior? absolutely scandalous Stormheart mused. Movement on the moor caught her eye, a familiar shape was slinking along the moor towards her. 

It wouldn't be long now

"Doing a great job hiding yourself hmm?" Rosepool mewed sarcastically, padding up to her "Sitting right on the edge of the border, no one will suspect a thing!" 

"You worry too much" Stormheart gruffly replied.

"And you don't worry enough!" Rosepool playfully butted her head against the grouchy Thunderclan warrior. "Anyways, how has it been?"

"Same stuffy warrior code as always" sighed Stormheart as she gently snuggled her head against Rosepool’s neck, gently breathing in her scent. The grey tabby was larger than Rosepool and significantly bulkier. 

"You really do hate that code, don't you?" Rosepool mewed sympathetically. It was the main thing keeping the two of them apart. Stormheart didn't reply, she didn't need to, Rosepool already knew the answer. Stormheart was notoriously a grouchy yet nonchalant warrior infamous for her outward distaste for the Code and vocal opposition of it. Of course, maybe it was the fact that her mother was the leader or maybe it was the strictness of her father. Either way Stormheart bristled at the mere suggestion to act more like a warrior. 

Maybe that's why she took a mate outside of her own clan, partially out of spite, partially out of infatuation. Rosepool on the other hand, instead of vehemently defying the code, simply took it as a suggestion on how to live. Both knew they were violating on of the most important rules. Neither cared. After exchanging a few more comments and wishing each other farewell they both headed back to their respective clans. Stormheart shot a glance over her shoulder at Rosepool as she padded away. A wave of affection washed over her, Rosepool was perfect, from her light brown coat to the way that she wheezed when she laughed. Stormheart turned her head towards the camp and started back. 

As Stormheart pushed past the ferns that guarded the entrance of the camp she was greeted by a silent and still camp. A few clouds drifted lazily along the black sky, partially obscuring the moon making the empty camp seem dark and lonely yet quite tranquil. The tranquility of the scene was disturbed however, as a dark figure staggered stiffly towards her. 

"We need to talk, Stormheart."

Stormheart flicked her ear dismissively "Do we really?"  
Wolfstar drew her lip up in a snarl and Stormheart sighed, no use arguing with her. Stormheart reluctantly followed her mother and leader into the leader's den and once they were out of earshot of any cat that might be lurking outside, Wolfstar whipped around, bristling with fury.

"You really think that I don't notice you slinking out of camp every other night? You really think I don’t notice when you come back reeking of Windclan?" Wolfstar spat angrily.  
Stormheart shrugged, almost amused by the anger of her mother. Wolfstar’s black fur was bristled and her graying muzzle was set into a fierce snarl. Her ears were pinned back, and her yellowed fangs glistened in the dark. 

"My own kit, having an affair with a Windclan warrior? What will the others think when they find out?" Wolfstar hissed. But as quickly as the anger had overcome her, it seemed to leaver the old leader’s body even faster. Wolfstar sighed, dropping her head, and smoothing over her fur and Stormheart was partially taken aback at how old and tired her mother looked.  
"If it's any consolation, I’m not doing it to defy you or the code" Stormheart mewed softly, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the two.

Wolfstar looked up, confused "Please don’t say that you actually love her.”

Stormheart just hummed in response and Wolfstar dipped her head again. Stormheart could tell her mother was conflicted but ultimately, she knew that Wolfstar would side with the code over emotions. Her mother's dull yellow eyes met Stormheart's and for a brief second, she felt a pang of sympathy, her mother’s health was failing, and it was starting to show, even in the dark Stormheart could see how patchy Wolfstar's pelt was getting, and how her mother's usually bright eyes were becoming increasingly filmy. Her limbs were stiff, her face was graying, and it was clear that there wasn’t much life left in her deteriorating body. Years of lost had evidently ground her down and there wasn’t much tethering her tired spirit to this plane save for serving her clan until the end. 

Wolfstar had outlived her mate, Silverclaw had been the father to Stormheart and her sister, Thornstripe. He'd been strict but loving and took great pride in raising his kits to uphold the Code. He was struck down soon after Stormheart and Thornstripe got their warrior names by a Riverclan warrior during a dispute over the border. Silverclaw was one of the older warriors and it was clear he had been too old to fight the Riverclan border patrol, his pride wouldn’t allow him to retire to the elder’s den, and he had been killed.

The clan had mourned but it was clear the tragedy had deeply upset Stormheart's sister. Thornstripe became a medicine cat after the death of her father partially out of fear of meeting the same fate. 

"Goodnight mother," Stormheart dipped her head in respect and turned to leave. Wolfstar didn't say anything, she just watched Stormheart go with a defeated look. She knew her daughter was stubborn and defiant and while she did love her kit, she knew that relationships that crossed clan borders never ended well. 

She was too tired to argue with her daughter, Stormheart had always been like this, always making her dissatisfaction known. Always making it clear where she stood on issues. Always spitting in the face of traditions. Wolfstar had tried to curb her daughter's poor attitude but it seemed the grey tabby was just too strong willed to bow to her leader. Deep down, Wolfstar couldn’t care less about the code, but she had to uphold it, she was Thunderclan's leader after all. 

She knew if anyone caught Stormheart with that Windclan warrior it would end in exile. 

Wolfstar collapsed into a heap onto her moss. Stormheart would do as she pleased, there wasn't a force above or below that could get Stormheart to follow the code.  
"Oh, Starclan what am I going to do with you?" she asked staring helplessly at the entrance of the den.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Stormheart sighed, staring out at the familiar scene before her, the moon was only a pale crescent shining above the moor and the frigid night air was completely still, the only noises were the melodious chirping of crickets and the occasional cry of a distant owl. Hunkering down into the undergrowth near the border, Stormheart drew in a deep breath of the cool, night air and quietly tried to sort out her own thoughts. Since she'd been seeing Rosepool she'd been feeling more at ease and the unmistakable warm feeling of adoration and love was an ever-present feeling in her chest yet, there was something else. 

Something a tad more worrying. 

Something she thought she had crushed down into nothing and buried deep with her mind. 

It wouldn't be long now.

Glaring up at the night sky she studied the stars, Starclan would certainly disapprove of her actions but should the opinions of the dead have any bearing on the living? Stormheart half expected an omen or dream telling her to cease her actions but none had come. She hadn't dreamed in years. She never cared much, she had no use for dead cats.  
Peering out from the undergrowth, Stormheart's yellow eyes searched for any signs of movement. 

"Oh, so NOW you bother with hiding, Stormheart I swear you're the most difficult cat I’ve ever met" 

Stormheart just huffed and dragged herself to her paws and stretched. Her muscles rippled beneath her thick, grey coat.  
"Wolfstar knows about us" She wasted no time getting to the point. No point in keeping it to herself. 

Rosepool froze, "Oh Starclan no.."

"She confronted me about it a few nights back, she won't do anything about it herself but..." Stormheart trailed off, it was clear to both of them what fate would befall them if any other cat found out.  
Neither warrior spoke.

"So," Rosepool's voice was barely above a whisper, "Is this...goodbye then?"

"No" 

Rosepool shivered, "But if someone like Hawkstar finds out we'll get exiled!"  
Stormheart didn't reply, being exiled wouldn't bother her too much, not like he clan needed her anyways, but it was obvious exile was the last thing Rosepool wanted.  
"Things need to change" 

There was something different about the way had just Stormheart spoken and Rosepool picked up on it immediately, normally Stormheart's voice had a somewhat gruff and dismissive tone, she never let her voice reveal her feelings or intentions but Rosepool noticed a slight edge to her words as she spoke. She met Stormheart's steady gaze and much to her surprise, the grey warrior turned away. 

Stormheart stood and turned back to Rosepool and nuzzled the smaller Windclan warrior. They spent the rest of the evening speaking at length about the latest gossip, nothing too treasonous. Neither felt at ease, suddenly it seemed as though every innocent rustling was an enemy patrol, or any noise was either Wolfstar or Hawkstar coming to exile the two on the spot.

"I'll see you again soon, I promise" 

Rosepool sighed "Please don't do anything stupid" she would never admit it but the abnormal behavior of her mate was making her worried. Of course, Stormheart would say something about not worrying about her and that she'd been fine and whatnot, but Rosepool often wondered if the gruff Thunderclan warrior needed someone to worry about her. 

Stormheart cracked a wry smile "I won't make any promises."

Rosepool chuckled "I feel like that's the best I’m going to get with you."

"I love you"

"I love you too"

As Stormheart watched her mate slink off into the night, back to her own territory, she felt a pang of sadness. Stormheart could never follow Rosepool back to camp, could never go on a patrol with her, could never fight alongside her. All because of some old, useless rules.  
Glaring up at the stars, Stormheart turned to head back into the forest. 

It wouldn't be long now. 

Stormheart didn't go directly back to camp as she had done countless nights before, no, she needed time alone, she needed time to think.


	2. Chapter 2

A paw prodded Stormheart’s side, jerking her awake. She could faintly make out some cat saying something about patrols in her half-awake state. 

"......And if you don't get up soon Gorsetail will kill the both of us and Starclan forbid that I get in trouble cause' you're a lazy fur ball."

Ah, the infuriatingly overenthusiastic voice of a newly named warrior. Honeydusk continued to pester her as she hauled herself to her feet and blearily staggered out of the den. Squinting her eyes against the sunlight she scanned the camp for the dawn patrol. Honeydusk was still jabbering on about patrols, getting in trouble, and a sluice of other useless things. Stormheart briefly wondered if Honeydusk had come out of the womb talking, though the thought amused her, she really wasn’t in the mood for Honeydusk’s inability to be quiet for more than a few minutes. 

"Good to see that you don't plan on sleeping away the WHOLE day." A deep voice laughed heartily. 

Gorsetail had been Stormheart's mentor and was currently deputy. He was the only cat in camp who seemed to view Stormheart as anything but a grouchy, lazy, and bitter troublemaker. His muzzle was graying with age but despite his age he was still a sturdy warrior and overall incredibly reliable cat. “Starclan forbid I get enough rest” Stormheart grumbled while she stretched her stiff legs, clearing away the last bit of haziness from her mind. Gorsetail laughed, “I’ll gather the rest of the patrol, try not to doze off.” 

Honeydusk's constant rambling throughout the entirety of the patrol was grating on Stormheart's nerves. Hard to think that she mentored the golden furred chatterbox. His brother, Breezefur, was much quieter and would have probably been a better fit for her, but Gorsetail seemed to derive infinite amusement from watching Stormheart's barely concealed irritation. She never snapped at Honeydusk, but it was clear that she could do without all the talking. How she managed to mentor him without losing her temper was a mystery. Once they returned to camp Honeydusk bounded off to talk another cat's ears off and Gorsetail went to check on Wolfstar. Breezefur hung back, unsure of where to go. Stormheart padded off towards the forest, hanging around camp only meant that she'd be asked to partake in hunting and border patrols. 

The forest was lush, and the dense foliage offered both prey and a multitude of places to settle in for a nap. Stormheart's nightly activities often left her restless and unable to sleep which rendered her grumpier and even less productive when sunrise eventually came. She was just drifting off when she heard the unmistakable sound of someone crashing through the undergrowth. Raising her head in curiosity, she flicked her ears in irritation. Starclan forbid Honeydusk or any other cat followed her and decided to interrupt her nap. Breezefur burst through the ferns and brambles and into sight, gasping. 

"W-w-Wolfstars dead." He wheezed, he'd run the whole way to find Stormheart. 

Stormheart scrambled to her paws, staring blankly at Breezefur as if processing what had just been said. As the words sunk in she felt a cold dread spreading throughout her chest, freezing her in place. The unmistakable sinking and cold feeling had her immobilized. Suddenly, a burst of fiery rage melted the ice in her veins and scorched her, Breezefur must be lying, he had to be. Turning from the small tabby, Stormheart raced back to camp, ignoring the thorns that tugged at her pelt, ignoring her heart pounding in her chest, ignoring her tired limbs screaming at her to stop. When she burst into camp she could feel everyone's eyes drilling into her. Her clanmate's silent pity was almost palpable. Stormheart's silent internal frenzy seemed to each it’s limit once she laid eyes upon the body of her mother. No one moved, every cat seemed fixed on the bristling grey tabby and her dead mother. Thornstripe gently padded up beside her sister and nudged her in an attempt to break Stormheart out of her trance. She didn't say anything, everything she thought of would only enrage her sister. 

Wolfstar's body had been lain out in the middle of camp with the customary herbs, mint and rosemary, placed upon her to ward off the stench of death. She looked almost peaceful. Gorsetail seemed to sense the rising emotions in Stormheart and silently ushered some of the onlookers away. He was quietly picking out cats for another patrol despite just returning from the dawn patrol. Best to clear out the camp before Stormheart lost her temper. Gorsetail knew that Stormheart often vented out her sorrow by flying into a senseless rage, he'd seen it when Silverclaw was killed, he'd seen it when Honeydusk fell dangerously ill during his apprenticeship, and he feared he see it again once the immobilizing shock of seeing her mother dead wore off.  
Stormheart staggered towards her mother, only half aware of what she was doing. Her eyes stung with unshed tears and her chest ached. Lying down next to her mother's body she gently rested her chin on Wolfstar's neck. Closing her eyes, Stormheart could only hear deafening silence, no heartbeat, no breathing, nothing. Wolfstar was completely still. The harshness of the idea that her mother was lying cold and dead out in the middle of a crowd as they gawked at the empty vessel of what was once her mother was fueling the rising anger inside of her. The scrawny and sickly-looking body shouldn’t be on display for everyone to just stare at. The rage was boiling over, fully directed at her clanmates. They thought they could act like they cared, like her mother had been anything more than just a leading figure to them. Wolfstar had been HER mother, she mattered more to Stormheart than any of these filthy sympathizers. Her clanmates were the reason Wolfstar fell ill, they killed her. The resulting wave of burning anger sent her over the edge though, much to her surprise, she felt herself begin to cry. She drew in a shuddering gasp as the tears blurred her vision. She hadn't cried in a while, the whole act of it seemed somewhat alien to her. From her heaving chest to the burning sensation in her throat, none of it felt natural. 

Stormheart was only vaguely aware of Thornstripe sitting next to her, paying her respects to her mother. Sitting vigil, a tradition Stormheart felt she owed to her mother. It was literally the least she could do. She stayed like that for a few hours, allowing the grief to fully consume her until all that was left was a hollow shell. Thornstripe finally nudged her sister, "We need to bury her soon." she mewed softy. The sky was slowly being covered with light gray clouds, a sure sign rain was imminent. Stormheart stiffly rose to her feet, her eyes blank. Stormheart’s voice was void of any emotion as she spoke, "I'll get it, you have to escort Gorsetail to the Highstones don't you." It wasn’t a question, just a blunt statement.  
"I do but if you're not feeling up to it..." Thornstripe wasn't entirely sure if it would be safe to leave her sister in this state. It was unnerving to see he sister openly express such a deep sorrow. But Gorsetail did need a medicine cat to escort him to the Highstones to receive his nine lives. Stormheart didn’t respond, Thornstripe was half convinced that she didn't hear her.  
"I'll handle it. Just help me carry her and I’ll take it from there." Stormheart was mildly surprised by how light her mother's body was, there was definitely no need for the both of them to carry her. The two of them silently carried the body into the forest and into a small clearing not too far from the camp. Stormheart had only a vague and distant memory of this place, she'd helped bury her father here, but time and trauma had dulled the memory. Both sisters placed their mother's body delicately on the ground and Thornstripe raised her head.

"Smells like it's going to rain, are you sure you don't need help?" Thornstripe knew her sister had inherited her father's bulky structure and could dig the grave with no trouble. 

"I'll be fine, you worry about Gorsetail." 

"If you're sure, please, stop by if you need anything."

Stormheart simply nodded, turning away. She feared that her sister could see the vulnerability in her eyes, she feared the pity she’d see in her sister’s eyes. Thornstripe quietly bid her a farewell before vanishing into the forest. Stormheart sighed, turning away from her mother's body as a pang of deep grief coursed through her already aching chest. Placing her paws in the soft soil, she got to work. She ignored her growing fatigue as she scooped out pawful after pawful of dirt. About halfway through the sky finally opened up and the cold rain seemed to chill Stormheart’s already frozen body. Stormheart cursed herself, if she’d gotten over herself faster then she wouldn't be fighting with the muddy earth that seemed to refuse to conceal her mother’s sickly body. After she finished her fur was drenched and she was coated in mud. Stormheart felt raw as she placed her mother's body in the hole and covered it with relative ease and murmured a few words to send Wolfstar on her way.

The walk back to camp seemed longer than it actually was, sheets of rain obscured her vision and the clumps of mud clinging to her fur seemed to weigh her down. Hatred clawed at her, her clanmates kept shooting her looks dripping with pity, she hated it. She hated them for what happened to Wolfstar, somehow it was their fault, somehow. Her exhaustion was clear, and once she made it back to camp a smaller white and black figure hurried up to her.

"H-hey Stormheart!!" Stuttered out Mosspaw nervously, she'd always been afraid of the larger warier. "Thornstripe asked me to ask you if you were ok once you got back."

"I'm fine" she grumbled, it was clear Mosspaw didn't believe her, but the small medicine cat apprentice didn't have the courage to keep pushing her. Eager to get out of the rain and away from the mud caked, sorrowful warrior, Mosspaw darted back to the medicine cat den. Thornstripe wasn't back yet, odd, Stormheart would’ve swore it wouldn’t have taken this long. Maybe Stormheart hadn't been gone for a as long as she thought. It was awhile before Thornstripe and the newly named leader, Gorsestar, returned. There seemed to be an air of nervousness between the two as they returned to camp. Stormheart had managed to scrape out most of the mud that had clumped in her fur and was hesitant to walk through the giant mud puddle that the rain had reduced the camp to. Stormheart has sheltered in the medicine den, much to Mosspaw's thinly veiled distaste. Thornstripe appeared at the entrance of the den, shaking out some of the rain from her fur. Odd, Stormheart detected what seemed to be a hint of guilt on her sister's somewhat troubled expression. 

"How'd the ceremony go?"

Thornstripe shrugged "Fairly smoothly."

Stormheart settled back into her makeshift nest of moss, "Any idea who he's going to choose as deputy?"

"No, he didn't say much about a deputy" Stormheart bit back and accusatory comment, there was something Thornstripe wasn't telling her. It was clear that neither of them was in the mood for an argument.

"Hmm, I suppose we'll find out at Moonrise"

Thornstripe collapsed into her nest, "I suppose", her voice was thick with exhaustion.  
It was clear her sister was too tired to continue the conversation and Stormheart didn't try and push it any further. A small nap before Moonrise would help to alleviate the fatigue and pain plaguing both sisters. And besides, Stormheart thought to herself before slipping into a dark and dreamless slumber, it wouldn't be long now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ay this took forever rip lol.


	3. Chapter 3

The rain had stopped by the time Stormheart woke, the sky was clear now and the stars were visible against the black sky. Stormheart shuddered, the night air was clear and crisp. Bleary eyed and tired cats staggered out of their dens, the silent concern over why the deputy hadn’t been chosen yet hung over them. Groggily Stormheart hauled herself to her feet, grumbling on why Gorsestar had to wait until the last possible moment to choose a deputy. Though, despite the ungodly hour she'd been awoken at, she was curious as to why it had taken this long to decide, after all there was a number of eligible warriors who’d make excellent deputies, it couldn’t be that difficult to choose one. As she staggered out of the medicine den stiffly, Stormheart glanced around at her clan, trying to guess who'd be picked. She figured it would either be Embersong or Redclaw, both were loyal and charismatic and would make fitting deputies. Though the thought of them becoming leader left a bitter taste in the Stormheart’s mouth, the cold feeling of grief washed over her as her gaze traveled back to the leader's den. Her mother was gone, she knew there was no point dwelling on it, but the wound was still raw and fresh. Stormheart sat herself near the back of the group that had gathered around the base of the highrock, silently stewing in her own bitterness. It wasn’t long before the entirety of the clan had gathered below the highrock and Gorsestar positioned himself at the top of the massive rock jutting out over the Thunderclan camp.

"It's moonrise so I’ll try and make this quick," Gorsestar began, apparently forsaking any form of formality. "I've been appointed by Starclan as the new leader of Thunderclan." Stormheart noticed a small flicker of sadness across Gorsestar's features. "And as the warrior code dictates, I must choose a new deputy before moonrise," excited murmurs echoed through the crowd, "The deputy I’ve decide to aid me in my leadership is, Stormheart." At first it didn’t register, but once she realized that she'd been chosen deputy she felt an immediate sense of confusion. The rest of the clan seemed to feel the same, as every single cat was dead silent before a few small mixed whispers of disagreement and bewilderment echoed through the cold and quiet clearing.   
"Will you accept the position as deputy, Stormheart?" Gorsestar was questioning her directly and for once, she was at a loss for words. She dipped her head in confirmation, dumbfounded, and Gorsestar seemed to relax slightly at her agreement. With that Gorsestar disbanded the gathering end everyone trudged back to their dens, clearly glad to be able to sleep. Stormheart, while yearning for sleep, had a particular curiosity gnawing away at her. She knew that Gorsestar viewed her as loyal and steadfast but how or why he thought that she had the temperament of a good deputy eluded her. Sleep wasn't an option, not with her thoughts racing like this. It was too late to see Rosepool and everyone else seemed to have gone off to bed already, well, almost everyone. Embersong seemed to be drifting aimlessly around the camp. Stormheart wondered if he was upset about not being appointed deputy or if something else was weighing on him. 

"Can't sleep?" 

"Unfortunately, not. Oh, and by the way, congrats on being appointed deputy." He seemed genuine with his congratulations. 

"I honestly thought Gorsestar would choose you or Redclaw"

Embersong snorted, "I'm glad he didn't pick me, though, I am surprised he chose you as well." He flicked his tail, he almost looked guilty about something. 

"Hm, maybe he'll explain it to me tomorrow," Stormheart yawned.

"If he does, tell me what he says. I honestly want to know what he was thinking," Embersong said, amused. "Anyways, I’ll see you tomorrow, goodnight."

"Goodnight Embersong" Stormheart turned and headed towards the warrior’s den as Embersong slinked away to the medicine den, probably to bid his younger sister, Mosspaw, goodnight. After settling into her moss nest, Stormheart drifted off to sleep.   
~~~~~~~  
Stormheart was woken abruptly the next morning by an overly enthusiastic Honeydusk who simply couldn't wait for her to get up and start assigning patrols. Organizing patrols was fairly easy, though it was hard to ignore the whispers about her newly appointed position that were going around camp. Some said it was because he had been her mentor, and some said that he had a thing for her. Stormheart thought about confronting Gorsestar about his decision and clearing the air but decided against it, as the new leader seemed to be somewhat stressed by the new responsibilities. Curiously enough, Embersong seemed to be hanging around her more since their conversation the night before. Not that she minded much, he was good company. Towards the end of the day, Stormheart became antsy, pacing and waiting for the sun to dip behind the trees. She hadn't been to the moors in a while and she deeply missed Rosepool.   
Once it was late enough and no one was around, Stormheart slipped out and headed towards the Windclan border. For once, Rosepool was already there, waiting patiently in the tall grass. Normally the tortoiseshell warrior would arrive after Stormheart. Rosepool’s ears perked up once she saw the Thunderclan deputy and rushed towards her. After the two greeted each other and exchanged updates on their situations Stormheart laughed dryly, "So, guess who's the new deputy?"

"Oh no you're NOT!"

"Yeah Gorsestar is a mouse-brain hellbent on running Thunderclan right into the ground."

"Awh you're not that bad though! I don't think you have the right...attitude for being deputy, much less leader, no offense."

"None taken babe." The two sat in comfortable silence for a little bit, pressed against each other, their tails intertwined. 

"So, uh, I’m sorry about your mother."

"Wolfstar was old and sick, it was inevitable." Stormheart stated flatly. Rosepool didn't reply, she knew Stormheart wasn't the best at expressing vulnerable emotions, but it was clear that the death of mother saddened Stormheart greatly. 

"How's Hawkstar?"

"Oh, he's being his usual “all other cats want to destroy Windclan" self." Rosepool sighed. The Windclan leader was old and paranoid, he and Wolfstar had become leaders around the same time meaning that was older than Wolfstar had been when she passed. 

The two warriors sat and talked well into the night before both bid each other goodbye and headed back to their respective clans. For Stormheart, it went on like that for days organizing patrols and sneaking out after dark. The days became longer and longer as Greenleaf approaches and, unfortunately for Stormheart, the weather became hotter. As the days dragged on Stormheart found herself lingering in the forest, relishing in the shade and cool air. While a blessing in the colder season, her thick coat was a burden in the warmer seasons. Oddly enough Embersong had been following her in the forest. He'd strike up some casual conversation or bring her prey. He offered no explanation for his odd behavior, she would've written it off as misplaced affection, but it felt less like flirting and more like he simply wanted her attention at times. She didn't mind much, he was much better company than Honeydusk, who constantly hovered around her and pestered her with questions about being deputy as though he’d never seen one before.


	4. Chapter 4

"For the evening patrol, I'll take Honeydusk and Embersong along the Windclan border."  
The oppressive heat of midday was starting to fade into the coolness of the evening. The air was stagnant resulting in a sticky blanket of humidity hanging over the camp. While the forest shielded them from the harsh sun, it unfortunately offered no respite from the humidity. In fact, the forest air felt exponentially heavier and damp. As her small patrol gathered near the entrance of the camp, Gorsestar padded up to them.

"Would you mind if I joined?" he mewed, "I haven't been on a patrol in moons."

Stormheart shrugged "You're more than welcome to, you are leader after all," she replied curtly. Gorsestar never did explain to her why he appointed her deputy but at this point, she didn't care. The rumors never seemed to go away and her bitterness towards him had grown as he seemingly made no effort to dispel them. If he noticed her distasteful tone, he didn't show it, he just nodded and joined the rest of the patrol waiting outside the camp. 

After embarking on the evening patrol, Stormheart was greatly relieved to see Honeydusk hanging off Gorsestar rather than her though she could still hear his incessant chatter as he tirelessly questioned the Thunderclan leader without pause. Embersong walked beside her but was strangely silent. Stormheart was silently grateful that Embersong wasn't in a talkative mood considering her own sour mood, though he looked troubled. She'd have to ask him about it when they got back to camp. Once the patrol reached the Windclan border, Embersong stiffened.

"Windclan patrol," he snarled, hackles raised.

"Just don't antagonize them and it'll be fine," Stormheart sighed. It wouldn't be fine. Windclan patrols were notoriously hostile and fights often broke out between them and neighboring clan patrols. As the patrol cautiously moved forward, Stormheart could faintly make out a few separate voices from the Windclan patrol. She strained her ears but couldn't seem to make out what they were saying or how many of them there were. It wasn't long before the two patrols spotted each other. Stormheart bit back a frustrated hiss as not only did the Windclan patrol outnumber them, Hawkstar was part of it. The Windclan patrol arrogantly swaggered up to the border, clearly unintimidated by the opposing patrol. The old Windclan leader pushed his way to the front, curling a greying lip over his yellowed fangs. 

"Ahaa seems the miserable whelp is out with her patrol!” Hawkstar hissed, turning to Gorsestar. “Don’t think that I haven't noticed your warriors sneaking over the border and stealing our prey."

Before Gorsestar could reply Hawkstar cut him off with a snarl, "Don't try and defend her, you pitiful excuse for a leader." His gaze traveled back to Stormheart, burning with hatred, "She's the useless whelp, the one that keeps lurking along the border after sunset." 

Stormheart bristled but didn't say anything in her defense, anything she said would be a lie anyway. 

"What? Don't have your mother here to lie for you?"   
The burning anger that had been threatening to spill over suddenly surged forward as Hawkstar spit out his vile words and Stormheart lunged at the ageing leader in fury. Her violent outburst seemed to be the catalyst for the simple accusations to escalate into a full out brawl between the two patrols. Utilizing her bulk, she bowled Hawkstar over and pinned him against the ground. Before she could properly convey her rage to him she heard Honeydusk yowl in pain and looked up to see him being dragged by the scruff of his neck by a Windclan warrior. Leaping off Hawkstar and unsheathing her claws, Stormheart silently cursed Honeydusk for getting absolutely destroyed this early into the fight. Once she reached the helpless warrior she dragged her extended claw across the Windclan warrior's muzzle. He howled in pain and let go of Honeydusk, who darted away the moment he was freed. Hissing, Stormheart bristled as the Windclan warriors fled, only Hawkstar remained as he seemed to be the only cat who thought this scuffle was actually worth dragging out.   
Hawkstar and Gorsestar were locked in combat as the remaining Thunderclan patrol looked on warily. Gorsestar thrashed against Hawkstar as the Windclan leader sunk his teeth into Gorsestar's throat. 

"Oh, for the love of Starclan," Stormheart muttered as she rushed back to her leader. Hawkstar let Gorsestar pull himself away before swinging around to face Stormheart, teeth bared. Bowling him over, Stormheart quickly gained the upper hand, raking her claws over his face. He yowled and retaliated, clawing at her broad shoulders and digging his teeth into her paw. Tugging her paw free, she staggered back, enough to allow Hawkstar to wriggle free and slice her neck. She felt the hot stinging sensation spread around the left side of her neck as she staggered backwards, hissing in anger. She lunged forward gripping his throat in her jaws and clamping down with all the force she could muster. Stormheart gagged slightly as the feeling of the soft flesh giving underneath her fangs as she yanked the mouth full of flesh back. A hot spray of blood coated her muzzle and chest and she hastily spat out the lump of flesh she'd torn from Hawkstar’s neck. Blood dripped from her chin as she watched the Windclan leader thrash and claw at the ground desperately gasping for air. Hawkstar's throat was all but gone, the resulting cavity was gushing blood, and soon enough he laid still in the puddle of crimson. Stormheart turned from the body, she felt surprisingly blank. There was nothing really to feel, she'd been defending herself, plain and simple. 

Gorsestar had dragged himself back over the border, leaning heavily on Embersong and it was clear the sleeker warrior was flagging under his leader's weight. Her neck burned and stung, her fur was matted with blood, her entire body ached, and she was certain her leader was going to lose a life. Trudging forward she nudged Embersong and he gratefully allowed Stormheart to take his place and padded ahead. The trip back seemed to drag on as the weary and injured patrol made their way back into the Thunderclan camp. Every part of her body ached tremendously as she helped Gorsestar drag himself into the medicine cat den. After dumping Gorsestar in the den and alerting her sister to his presence, she dragged herself back to the warrior’s den, her exhaustion overwhelming any desire to clean herself or seek medical attention. Ignoring the sting of her wounds, Stormheart curled up in the warrior’s den, grateful to finally be off her feet. Sleep overcame her quickly and as she drifted off, she wondered where Honeydusk had run off to. She wrestled with the revelation that she didn’t know where Honeydusk was for a minute before blearily raising her head and scanning the occupants of the den. She could make out her clanmates in the dim light but couldn't locate the golden warrior. Stormheart considered getting up to look for him but after a moment of deliberation she decided against it. He was probably in the medicine cat den. At least, Stormheart hoped he was as she drifted off.


	5. Chapter 5

Stormheart rose at dawn, her body ached, her neck stung, and she still didn't know where Honeydusk was. She gently steped over her slumbering clanmates and hauled herself out into the fresh morning air. Taking in a few breathes of the crisp cool air, Stormheart enjoyed the calm atmosphere of the clan as everyone groggily went about their morning routines. Stormheart turned towards the medicine cat den. While she didn't want her sister or the newly named medicine cat, Mossfoot's help she also didn't want her wound getting worse than it already was. Thankfully, Thornstripe was already awake and tending to Gorsestar when Stormheart walked in. 

"Ah sis, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to corner you about treatment," Thornstripe spoke softly as she pressed fresh marigold pulp into Gorsestar's wounds. Stormheart shrugged, as her sister finished up with her leader. 

"So I heard Hawkstar caused this?" Thornstripe gestured towards the numerous lacerations decorating Stormheart. The dark grey tabby nodded in response as Thornstripe poked at the ragged clumps of fur that had crusted over with dried blood. Stormheart hadn't bother to groom the blood out of her long fur so it wasn't hard to locate any of the cuts or bites.

"Hm, well I wouldn't worry much about anything unless you start feeling feverish or weak," Thornstripe mewed, a tired edge to her voice. Stormheart wondered if he sister had been up all night treating Gorsestar, though she couldn't fathom why, if that was indeed the case. His wounds were bad but not severe and it wasn't as though he was on his last life either. 

"You sound tired Thornstripe, get some rest. Have Mossfoot handle today. We can't have our best medicine cat keel over out of exhaustion, can we?"  
Thornstripe laughed wearily, "Mossfoot is out gathering marigold since your patrol depleted our supply, but maybe when she gets back I’ll take a short nap."

"Speaking of my patrol, have you seen Honeydusk?"   
Thornstripe shook her head, "No i haven't sorry." Stormheart was troubled by this. If Thornstripe hadn't seen him then he hadn't stopped by the medicine den. Did he even make it back to camp? After nabbing a quick breakfast from the fresh-kill pile she begrudgingly decided to try and personally find the young warrior. 

"A-ah Stormheart?" a timid voice meekly questioned. Stormheart turned to face Breezefur, who was shifting from paw to paw and refusing to meet her gaze.

"I-I was wondering who was up-p for dawn patrol?" 

Stormheart hastily looked around camp and listed the first one she saw "Uh, well could you take Dashpaw and Redclaw?" Breezefur nodded and padded away to gather the other two cats. Stormheart found it slightly odd that he hadn't asked her about his brother but didn't dwell on it. She wouldn't admit it but she was starting to feel a twinge of concern for the missing warrior. Walking out of camp and into the forest, Stormheart decided to start her search along the Windclan border and see if there were any scent trails to work off of. Continuing on her way she mused over why Honeydusk would disappear suddenly like this. Each (possible?) answer only served to worry her further and she quickened her pace until she reached the border. Slowing her pace, she kept her distance from it. She didn't any more conflict with Windclan. Stormheart paused, trying to pick up any signs that Honeydusk had passed through this part of the forest. After failing to catch any scent of Honeydusk, she moved further down the border. She repeated this countless times before catching a whiff of a familiar stale scent. It was incredibly faint but still present nonetheless. 

Following the trail wasn't easy and Stormheart lost it several times. Oddly enough he hadn’t gone deeper into Thunderclan territory but rather had skirted along the Windclan border. Either it had been a tactical maneuver or he was just a mouse brain with no sense of direction. The trail got closer and closer to the edge of the border and Stormheart wrinkled her nose in disgust. Something reeked like a piece of prey that'd been left out too long and the stench overpowered the faint scent of Honeydusk. Sighing in frustration, Stormheart continued in the direction that Honeydusk had been heading in. Unfortunately the smell of rotting flesh seemed to increase as she continued along the border. Eventually she found herself on the edge of the small thunderpath that marked the edge of the Thunderclan and Windclan border. As she turned to head back, disgruntled by her lack of progress something caught her eye, a golden figure laying near the Windclan side of the thunderpath. 

She almost didn't want to turn to look at it, she knew she could always turn away and pretend she didn't see anything. Ignorance was bliss, after all. Still, she turned to face the grisly scene and immediately felt her blood freeze with dread. Her mind couldn't even process what she was looking at for a good few seconds, and once it did register, the wave of disgust swamped he with the combination of the sickly-sweet rotting smell and the two thirds of Honeydusk that hadn't been flattened into a gory mess. The overwhelming smell and sight caused bile to rise in Stormheart's throat and as she turned away she promptly vomited. The slight burning of the acid in her throat as she involuntarily wretched and the feeling of tears stinging her eyes made it impossible to actually get a good look at the gruesome scene. Stormheart shuddered, trying to wrestle with herself and force herself to look at the body. After all, she couldn't just leave him. She couldn’t just leave him out there. He deserved a proper burial at the very least. Gathering up her courage and steeling her nerves, she padded out onto the thunderpath and gripped Honeydusk's stiff and rancid body by the spine. His head and neck had been reduced to a flattened black, red, and gold mass. A glistening white bone stuck out of the stump that used to be his neck and as Stormheart disturbed his body a swarm of flies flew off him but hung like a cloud near him. As she tugged him off the thunderpath she couldn’t help but choke up. She may not have been best friends with Honeydusk, but to have his young life so brutally ended upset her greatly. He had a whole future cut short simply because he made a single wrong move on the thunderpath. 

Carrying his body back to camp wasn’t difficult, he hadn't been a big or heavy cat even in life. As Stormheart somberly walked into camp with Honeydusk's body, the whole camp hushed as they noticed the state of the body. They were overcome with a silent and disturbed dread and Stormheart gently placed Honeydusk in the center of camp. Queens quietly and quickly ushered their kits back into the nursery to prevent them from seeing the gristly body while the rest of the clan gathered around the two. Stormheart plastered her ears against her head as she cried, to lose another cat close to her this soon was overwhelming. A smaller cat shoved her way through the small crowd that had gathered and let out a sorrowful cry at the sight of her son's decapitated body. Marigoldspots gently cradled Honeydusk as she buried her tear-soaked face into his golden fur. Honeydusk's father, Kestrelcry, sat next to his mate, his face cast down. Breezefur was in shock. He didn't move from the edge of the crowd as if he’d been frozen in place. 

Stormheart couldn't stand to watch as Thornstripe solemnly brought out the burial herbs. Willowcloud, Breezefur's mate, was comforting the distraught warrior as he mourned his brother. The crowd has dispersed out of respect for the grieving family as they sat vigil for the deceased warrior. Stormheart abruptly stood and stalked off to the woods. She loathed the helplessness she felt as Honeydusk was mourned. She burned with anger, anger that couldn’t be directed at anyone or thing in particular: Windclan wasn't to blame, she wasn't to blame, Hawkstar wasn't to blame. No, there was no blame to be passed around. His death had been a tragic accident. Directionless, Stormheart didn’t know what to do with herself. She wanted to mourn her previous apprentice but she simply wasn't family and Kestrelcry was less than fond of her. She settled for pacing in the woods, hoping that they would bury Honeydusk before she returned.   
Though, why return now? 

She paused. Her clanmates didn't care much for her and they could organize their own patrols for a short period of time. Maybe some time away from her clan would help clear her mind and quell her emotional turmoil. She'd bid Rosepool farewell and then slink off to Twoleg place for a few days. There wasn't a good reason to stick around in her clan right now, she wasn't particularly needed nor wanted by anyone save for her sister and possibly Embersong. She felt drained, void of any energy to bear the brunt of the harsh comments and serve a clan that didn’t seem to want her. She figured she could hide out on the Thunderclan territory and sleep for the rest of the day. The grief was still gnawing at her when she settled into a hollow under the roots of an oak tree. The earthy scent of the hollow did nothing to soother her nerves but she didn’t bother get back up. Whether she was able to sleep or not, she'd rest in the hollow and then leave at nightfall.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey, Stormheart?" a paw sharply prodded her side, jolting her awake. She scrambled to her feet, bristling at whoever had woken her. 

"Relax, it's just me," Embersong mewed softly, allowing her to calm down before speaking again. "I don’t know what you're doing out here but I’ve been looking for you for hours."   
He sounded genuinely worried and she almost regretted her plans to leave, almost. "I'm taking a break from everyone" She muttered. It was almost the truth she thought bitterly as Embersong settled down next her. 

"Look, no one is blaming you for this, it was a complete accident" Stormheart didn't reply. "I know Honeydusk was close to you and if you want to talk about it I’m here for you." His tone was tender which only seemed to add to Stormheart's already immense sense of guilt. Between the steadily building sense of shame and Honeydusk's death being fresh in her head she couldn't help but turn away to hide the tears that were blurring her vision. It was dusk and the fading sunlight made it difficult to see in the hollow, which Stormheart was immensely grateful for. 

"Would you like to be left alone tonight?" She nodded and Embersong stood and turned to leave the hollow.

"Wait, Embersong" he turned to face her, his silhouette illuminated by the orange light from the setting sun. "Thanks."   
Stormheart dipped her head as he smiled, "Anytime Storm!" he replied before turning and slipping out of the hollow. Stormheart padded up to the opening of the den and silently watched Embersong vanish into the foliage. The hazy evening air hung heavily over the forest and Stormheart allowed herself a moment to listen to the dissonant melody of the buzzing of insects mingling with the distant calls of owls. The air was sticky and stagnant, no breeze blew. Stormheart figured she'd make the most of the rapidly fading sunlight, some hunting wouldn't hurt considering she'd skipped both lunch and dinner. 

Slinking through undergrowth, Stormheart listened carefully for the scuffling of prey on the forest floor. she paused, something was moving through the foliage. flattening herself against the ground and flicking her tail, she silently readied herself. The scent was slightly off but she didn’t really care, she was starving. Moving closer would only give he position away so she opted for the next best thing, suddenly launching herself out of the undergrowth, claws extended. She only realized her mistake as she caught a glimpse of black and white striped fur as she lunged towards the animal. It wasn't a squirrel like she'd hoped. It was a skunk. The skunk hissed angrily as she desperately tied to pin the animal down before raising its tail in defense.   
Stormheart recoiled as the sudden unbearably repugnant stench burned her nose, throat and eyes. Unleashing a slew of obscenities as she gasped for a breath of air that wasn’t polluted with the overwhelming and indescribably disgusting smell. While Stormheart flailed, trying to rid herself of the rancid smell, the skunk had already fled back into the forest. Cursing, she turned as if to follow the skunk before deciding that there was much less troublesome prey to catch. The offensive smell followed her though the woods as though it was mocking her. She managed to snag a sparrow before it fluttered away right before the sun set fully but the awful stench made it impossible to even remotely enjoy her meal. Her options to get rid of the stench were limited; She could try and wash it off in the river that bordered Riverclan or she could attempt to coat herself in mud, though the former seemed like a more tolerable choice, even if it was quite a walk. 

She avoided the borders and frequently traveled paths to prevent the evening patrol from noticing her. A patrol, she thought bittering, that she was supposed to organize. No doubt Embersong would be returning to the hollow to check on her after skipping out on her duties as deputy. She felt a twinge of guilt. She was running away from her responsibilities as the Thunderclan deputy and the only two cats in her entire clan who still cared for her. Pathetic as it was, she still felt the need to get away, she couldn’t even stomach the idea of going back, not now that Honeydusk was gone. 

Stormheart finally padded out of the forest and onto the rocky shore of the river. The air by the river was cooler than that in the forest. The murky river lazily drifted along, it seemed lower than usual. The hot weather and lack of rain must've depleted it somewhat. Stormheart prayed that a patrol from either clan wasn’t nearby as she waded into the cool, muddied water until it lapped at her chest. The water gently tugged at her fur and she sighed dejectedly as she reluctantly plunged herself fully into the river. Being fully submerged in water was something Stormheart wasn’t too fond of. Once she felt that she’d sufficiently rinsed herself of the stink, she trudged out of the river, water running off her fur as she shook herself out. Great, now she stank of river water, skunk spray, and was soaking wet. Grumbling, she padded back into the forest. The sun had completely set and the moon had risen.   
Stormheart walked all the way to the Windclan border, hoping her fur would dry out somewhat before getting there. In the dark she caught a glimpse of green eyes watching her from the underbrush before Rosepool slunk out of the shadows to greet her. She stopped short. "Oh wow you reek, and why in Starclan's name are you wet?" she asked as she stuck out her tongue and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"It - it's been a long day." Stormheart sighed, disgruntled. 

"Yikes, yeah it sure smells like it" There was a lull of silence before Rosepool spoke again, but this time quieter and in a more serious tone. "There've been rumor floating around camp that you were the one who killed Hawkstar," she mewed quietly.

Stormheart nodded "I wasn't aware that that was his last life." Rosepool seemed to flinch slightly at her words. "It was in self-defense, Rose. He was trying to kill me."

'I know you wouldn't have done it without reason but I w-"

"You were hoping it was someone else who did it though?"

Rosepool didn’t respond.

"Look Rose, I regret not handling it better," Stormheart lied, "but I felt like it was my only option at the time"

Rosepool sighed, "I suppose he was old and it was bound to happen eventually." She didn’t sound convinced but she also didn't seem angry or scared at her. 

"Since you're already upset I might as well tell you now."

Rosepool’s ears perked. "Tell me what?" she questioned cautiously.   
Stormheart sighed, searching for the words, she knew she needed to approach this delicately considering this would be viewed as treason. "I'm going to leave Thunderclan for a while." Rosepool stared at her in shock. She didn't say anything and that somehow made Stormheart's guilt and dread about it worse. 

"Look, I'll still be around! I’ll just be living on the outskirts of the Twoleg place. We can even meet on the border still. I just, I can't stand to be in that clan any longer. I just need some time away to sort myself out, and since Honeydusk was killed I just feel like I can’t handle the responsibilities of clan life anymore." Stormheart blurted out as she spilled her feelings and plans to Rosepool, who listened and nodded. She didn’t question her further just sighed before replying, "I don't really understand, but if it's that bad then I suppose you should take a break, and I’m really sorry about Honeydusk. He was a good cat, but please, I really hope you'll come back once you're feeling up to it." Rosepool chuckled "I'd embrace you, but you’re really gross right now."

Stormheart laughed. "Thanks for understanding. I’ll keep in touch, ok?"

"Ok."

"Make sure to stay safe alright?" 

Stormheart nodded. "I'll do my best." She felt her chest tighten. Rosepool cared so much about her, she really didn’t deserve it. As Stormheart turned to leave Rosepool shouted, "I LOVE YOU, DON'T FORGET!"  
Stormheart yelled back, "I LOVE YOU TOO!" before turning and dashing back into the woods. The border along the thunderpath led to the Twoleg place. It wouldn't be long until she was free.

**Author's Note:**

> Written by M.  
> Ya i'll update this later with another chapter hopefully. Motivation is a fickle bitch.  
> Constrictive criticism and comments in general are welcome and appreciated!


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